Back to work: Bearcats opened spring football practices today with spirited morning workout

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Aledo returning starting quarterback Dillon Davis (8) looks down field before launching a pass this morning during the Bearcats first spring football workout at Bearcat Stadium. The practice was the first of 15 scheduled workouts. Spring practice will conclude with the spring game on May 25.

The sounds of football were alive this morning at Bearcat Stadium as the Aledo Bearcats began the first of 15 spring football practices.

Coaches were blowing whistles and shouting instructions, and the crackly sounds of pads on pads were apparent in one-on-one linemen drills and during spirited team work at the end of the session.

The Bearcats will practice one more time this week on Thursday morning. Next week, the Bearcats will practice in the afternoon (4:05 p.m.) on Monday and Tuesday, May 2-3, and will finish the week with a morning practice on Thursday, May 5. Spring football will end with the spring game which is scheduled for 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, May 25.

AHS head coach Steve Wood, entering his third season as Bearcats’ top boss, said the first practice was enthusiastic but at the same time typical for a first workout since December.

“It is never as good or as bad as it seems,” Wood said. “But it was positive and the guys were upbeat. It was a good first day. We have a lot of room for improvement, but that is what spring ball is for. We just want to come out here each day and get better. I have to reserve judgement on most things until I watch the video.”

Wood said the first day is about instruction and the team’s mind set.

“As long as everybody comes out in the right frame of mind and with a positive attitude everything will work out fine,” he said. “We won’t add anything in (Thursday’s) practice – it will just be about re-teaching – and hopefully they will retain everything they learned today.”

The Bearcats went through about 30 minutes of team scrimmage at the end of this morning’s workout. Returning starting quarterback Dillon Davis was sharp with his passes, connecting three times deep with receiver Hunter Rosson. Running backs Donnie Evans and Michael Jordan found huge holes to run through behind an offensive line that returns five starters.

With three practices slated for next week, Wood said the goal is to add more to the offense and defense and find out which players are the most physical.

“We will get more physical next week,” Wood said. “We were 1s on 2s today, but next week we will do more 1s on 1s. We will spark it up just a little bit. But there will also be a lot of teaching. Again, that is what spring ball is about.”

Bearcats head coach Steve Wood demonstrates a technique to linebacker Rhett Harris (20) this morning during the opening practice of spring football workouts.Aledo returning starting running back Donnie Evans finds daylight during team drills this morning at Bearcat Stadium.The “big uglies” on the offensive line do battle with their counterparts on the defensive side of the ball Wednesday morning at Bearcat Stadium during the Aledo Bearcats’ first spring practice of 2016.Aledo running back Michael Jordan bounces outside during team drills Wednesday morning at Bearcat Stadium during Aledo’s first spring practice.Head coach Steve Wood addresses the team following the first spring practice of the season Wednesday morning at Bearcat Stadium.